Staff of 49 schools go on strikeLudhiana, January 30As many as 60,000 students in 49 government-aided schools run in the district had to sit at home today following a protest by their teachers against the alleged
misbehaviour of a complainant during a vigilance raid on S.D. Jain Senior Secondary Girls School on Tuesday.

Dead man booked for harassment !Ludhiana, January 30 In an unusual case, the Division No 7 police (Vardhman police station) has booked a dead man in a dowry harassment case lodged by his daughter-in-law, who is a resident of Mahima Singh Wala village in this district.

Ludhiana, January 30To observe martyrdom day of the Father of the nation, as ‘Shaheedi Divas’, a function was organised at Mini Secretariat here today and glowing tributes were paid to Mahatma Gandhi and other martyrs of the country. The participants observed a two-minute silence on the occasion.Congress activists pay tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at his Martyrdom Day in Ludhiana on
Thursday. — Tribune photo Inderjit Verma

VC Aulakh to review research projectsLudhiana, January 30Accountability has hit the teaching fraternity of Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) hard following the ongoing in-house review of research, teaching and extension programmes in different departments of the constituent colleges of the university.

BJYM to stall move on Jinnah memorialLudhiana, January 30The Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) today claimed that after sweeping the Assembly elections in Gujarat, the BJP was all set to repeat its performance in the ensuing elections in Himachal Pradesh.

Ludhiana, January 30The continued spell of rain over the past few days has boosted the prospects of rabi making the local farmers and agriculturists euphoric. Farmers had been worried due to the prolonged cold weather that was threatening to damage the crop in some areas. The mild rain has raised their hopes of a good yield.

A farmer weeds out his fields in rain in Ludhiana on Thursday.
— Photo Pradeep Tewari

Calf born to circus elephantLudhiana, January 30An elephant of Jambo Circus, Anarkali, gave birth to its first calf late last night. With this, the elephant population of the circus has gone to seven. The calf is a normal and healthy.According to the circus Manager, Mr Vinod Kumar, the calf will be named after due religious rituals. Today it was vaccinated against diseases.

20-year-old Anarkali with her calf which was born in Ludhiana on Wednesday.
— Photo by Pradeep Tewari

Division in Ludhiana CongLudhiana, January 30Congressmen of Ludhiana continue to be at loggerheads and new alignments are taking place. There is a vertical division among leaders and infighting has become intense.

Police
flayed for harassing newsmenLudhiana, January 30A meeting of Ludhiana-based journalists representing various newspaper organisations today unanimously condemned the impounding of the vehicle of a scribe who had gone to cover the meeting of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) at Gurdwara Manji Sahib at
Alamgir, near here, yesterday.

‘Nirmal did us all proud’Issewal (Ludhiana),
January 30He is the proud father of a son who laid down his life fighting for the honour of the country. Even 31 years after Flying Officer Nirmaljit Singh Sekhon sacrificed his life, a void remains unfilled in the life of his father, Mr Tarlochan Singh Sekhon, who is spending his twilight years in this village.

Class IV employees intensify stirMandi Gobindgarh,
January 30The ongoing agitation of class IV government employees in this district intensified further with two employees sitting on an indefinite fast here on Wednesday.Talking to mediapersons here today Mr Hari Chand, district president of the employees’ union, said earlier rallies were held in front of ‘tehsil’ headquarters of Sirhind, Bassi Pathana and Mandi Gobindgarh to draw attention of the government towards their demands.

Sukhbir Badal
honouredLudhiana, January 30The SAD general secretary and MP, Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal, was today honoured by activists of the Dakha circle of the Youth Akali Dal and area residents at Rhythm Palace here this afternoon. The function was organised by the Circle in charge, Mr Darshan Singh Shivalik, and general secretary of the state unit, Mr Manpreet Singh Grewal.

Residents seek possession of flatsLudhiana, January 30Representatives of Government Rented Colony Welfare Association, Dugri, today met the Deputy Commissioner and handed over a memorandum to him demanding that the flats in the colony should be allotted to them on a permanent basis.

SBI Ladies Club
gesture to studentsLudhiana, January 30The local State Bank of India Ladies Club, today presented a steel almirah to School for Deaf and Dumb, Rajpura Road, Ludhiana, and distributed packets of dry fruits to children.

PFA announces office-bearersLudhiana, January 30The People For Animals (PFA), Ludhiana, announced its new list of office-bearers here yesterday.Dr Sandeep Jain, president of the association, in a press statement said Mr Anurag Aggarwal would be the chief patron.

Withdraw exim form: industrialistsLudhiana, January 30A joint action committee of various trade and industrial associations today demanded the withdrawal of exim form that has been made compulsory by the government for all registered dealers with effect from January 13. The form, to be issued by the sales tax authorities, will have to be sent with all consignments worth over Rs 10,000.

UNESCO peace awardee to attend PAU functionLudhiana, January 30Mr Jagdish Gandhi, winner of UNESCO Peace Award, will be the guest of honour during the ‘International Students Conference scheduled to be held at Punjab Agricultural University from February 6 to 9.

Right on time ! Visiting students of the Michigan State University share a light moment during an interaction with the PAU VC, Dr K S Aulakh, at the PAU on Thursday. The students are here to study regional social issues.
— Photo by Pardeep Tewari.

Sewing coaching centre set upLudhiana, January 30The NSS volunteers of Master Tara Singh Memorial College for Women launched a drive to provide chances of self-employment to people of economically and educationally backward areas.

Schools go back to
old timings
on Feb 1Ludhiana, January 30District Magistrate Anurag Agarwal today ordered that all schools in the district would start and close at their normal timings from February 1.The latest order comes after
revoking an earlier order making it mandatory for all schools in the
district to start schools late till February 15.

CJM deputes Duty MagistratesLudhiana, January 30The Chief Judicial Magistrate, Mr Arunvir Vashisht, has deputed Duty Magistrates at Khanna, Samrala, Jagraon and Ludhiana for February.Mr Balwinder Kumar, Judicial Magistrate, First Class, will be Duty Magistrate from February 1 to 5, Mrs Anshul Berry, Judicial Magistrate, First Class, from February 6 to 9, Mr Vashisht will do duty work on February 10, Mr Sanjay Agnihotri, Judicial Magistrate, First Class, from February 11 to 15, Mr Ashok Kapoor, Judicial Magistrate, First Class, from February 16 to 20, Mr D.P.Singla, Judicial Magistrate, First Class, from February 21 to 23 and Mr R.K.Sharma, Judicial Magistrate, First Class, from February 24 to 28, will remain on duty.

Special lok adalats on February 1Ludhiana, January 30Special lok adalats relating to cooperative credit institutions will be organised on February 1 in Ludhiana, Fatehgarh Sahib and Faridkot.The District Legal Services Authority, Ludhiana, convened a meeting to ensure the settlement of maximum cases in the lok adalat. The meeting was presided over by Mr Baldev Singh, District and Sessions Judge.

An actress with zest for lifeLudhiana, January 30“Working with Harbhajan Mann in film
Jee Ayaan Nu was a brilliant experience. I had earlier declined to feature in the film when I was told that I had to work with a Punjabi singer. But when I came to know that it was Harbhajan, I agreed as I knew he was a gentleman,’’ says a warm, effervescent, and lovely to look at Kimi Aggarwal, Jassi of
Jee Ayaan Nu fame.

Female foeticide will lead to social evilsAhmedgarh, January 30The Population Control Committee, Punjab, organised a seminar on crusade against female foeticide at Jain Muni Shri Bimal Chander High School Kup. Dr Puran Singh Jassic, a former Director, Health and Family Welfare Department, presided over the function.

Anti-Leprosy
Day observedLudhiana, January 30The District Leprosy Society observed Anti-Leprosy Day at Bhagvan Balmik Bhawan here today. Mr Anurag Aggarwal was the chief guest while Dr S.N.Tiwari, Civil Surgeon, presided over the function.